430 GREAT MAPLESTEAD. ESSEX. (KELLY'S north aisle, south porch, and a massive embattled western are constructed f(}r 55 penitents, who may be receive4 tower, containing 3 bells and a clock presented in 1883 from any part of the United Kingdom, with a preference by Mrs. Maria Sperling, in memory of Henry John for the counties of Essex and Herts ; the managemem Sperling esq. D.L., J.P.; the tower was for years covered of the institution is entrusted to a council of so of the with plaster, on the removal of which, in 1861, it was leading clergy and laity of the two counties, and m found that the western part of the tower was in brick: Jan. 1892, it was placed under the care of the Sisters the date 1612 was visible on it, and the legend is that of the Community of St. John the Baptist, Clewer~ at this date this half of the tower, together with the for its maintenance it is dependent on voluntary sub­ west end of the south aisle were destroyed by lightning, scriptions and on washing and needlework done by the and restored as now seen, the .ancient quoins being penitents : the Lishop of the diocese is visitor and the ret-ained : in the north aisle is a memorial window to Rev. Charles Henry Townsend is warden. Dynes Mrs. Gee, and there are others to the wife of Charles Hall, the property of C. F. D. Sperling esq. who B. Sperling and to the late Charles Sperling, both is lord of the manor, is a handsome brick mansion,­ erected in 1901 : in the south chapel are monuments t<l erected in 1575, the west wing being Elizabethan ancl Sir John Dean, of Dynes Hall, who was knighted at the the main structure in the Queen Anne style; it is the Tower in 'I6o3, and died 17th February, 1625, and another residence of Thomas Spencer Gosling esq. : the estate to his lady, A.nne, daughter of Sir Drue Drury kt. of comprises soo acres, and includes a finely-wooded park. Riddlesworth, Norfolk; she died 25 May, 1633; on thP The principal landowners are C. F. D. Sperling esq. first, beneath an arch supported on pillars of black Charles E. Brewster esq. J.P. of Maplestead Hall, T. F, marb"le, is the effigy of the knight, reclining on his arm, ~iiller esq. Mr. Charles G. Hearn and Mr. George and above are kneeling figures of eight children; the Newton. The soil is mixed loam and gravel; subsoil, monument of Lady Dean is more elaborately designed, various. The chief crops are wheat, oats, barley ancl and has a standing effigy beneath an arch, and below turnips. The area is 1,824 acres; rateable value, this a figure in armour of her son, Sir Drue Deane kt. £1•969; the population in I9II was 411 in the civil who erected the monument April 14, 1634 : on the south and 427 in the ecclesiastical parish. wall of the chapel is a sun-dial : the edifice was enlarged By Local Government Board Order 16,612, March :ljj by the additi<ln of a nm-th aisle and reseated in the year 1885, a detached part of the parish known as Hampers 1861, and the chancel was reS'I:ored in 1866 by Miss Farm and Dean's Hall Road were added to Little Maple· BaTter in memory of Mrs. Gee : the church affords 240 stead for civil purposes. sittings. The register of baptisms and marriageg dates from 1697; burials, 1678. The living is a vicarage, net Post Office. Waater Blake, sub-postmaster. Lette~ yeal'lly value £120, with 20 acres of glebe and Tesidence, through Halstead, arrive at 7.10 a.m. & 12.45 p.m.; in the gift of the Knights of the Hospita1 of St. John dispatched at 12.45 & 6.15 p.m.; no delivery on sun· of Jerusalem, and held since 1912 by the Rev. William days. The nearest money order & telegraph office ill' Paxton Thorp Th.A..K.C. who is also vicar of Little at Castle Hedingham, 2 miles distant Maplestead. Here is a chapel for Plymouth :Brethren. Public Elementary School (mixed), built with mistress'• The Diocesan House of Mercy for Fallen Women was" house in I863, at the expense of Mrs. Gee, on a site erected here in 1867, at a cost of about £ IO,ooo, presented by the late Robert Hanbury esq.; the school by the late Miss E. Barter, who afterwards became will hold 70 children; average attendance, 35 ; Miss a Sist-er of the Community of All Hallows, Ditching- Marv Ann Bird·, mistress ham; she also endowed the institution with a stipend · for the warden, who must be a clergyman of the This school is controlled by the Essex Education (Hal- Church of England; the buildings, to which a new stead Sub-District) Committee, wing was added in 1897, at ft cost of about £2,ooo, clerk " PRIVATE RESIDENTS. Broyd William, jundrmr.Barrett's hall Hearn Charles Geo. farmer, Purls hill Baxtel" Charles Cock John, farmer Liberal Club (Frederick Eary, sec) Gosling Thomas Spencer, Dynes hall Constitutional Club (David Newland, Newton Ernest A. S. poultry farwe!' Miller Thos. Fredk. J.P. Monks lodge sec) Newton Geurge, farmer, Lucking ho Thorp R ev. W m. P axt on Th . A .KC . Crawley Charles William, farmer, Newton George Wm. Hart, farmer, (vicar), Vicarage Chelmsloe house Lucking house Townsend Rev. Charles Hy. Wardens Diocesan House <lf Mercy for Fallen Nice Alfred, blacksmith lodge Women (Clewer Sisters; Rev. Oha·s. Smith Joseph, farmer, Little Purb Urell .Mrs Henry Townsend, warden) Hill farm . Gatward Frank, castrator Smith Waiter J. farm bailiff to Thos. COMMERCIAL. Goodwin John Thos. frmr. Hop wells F'rederick Miller esq. J.P Blake Waiter, shopkeeper Gurteen William James, beer retailer, Wright Frank, carpenter LITTLE MAPLESTEAD is an ancient parish, extremely rude and simple execution: there are us about 6 miles south-west from Sudbury and the Stour sittings. The register dnte.s from the year 1688. The navigation and 2! north from Halstead station on living is a. 'vicarage, net yearly value £56, with :20 acres the Colne Valley railway, in the ~orthern division of the of glebe, in the gift of the Knights of the Hospital of county, Hinckford hundred, North Hinckford petty ses­ s~ .•Tohn of Jerusalem, and held since I912 by the Rev. sional division, Halstead union and county court district, William Paxton Thorp Th.A.K.C. who is also vicar of Halstead rural deanery, Colchester archdeaconry and and resides at Great Maplestead. Here is a Congrega­ Chelmsford diocese. .A. preceptory of the Knights tional chapel erected in 1817. The trustees of Joseph Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem was founded here Davis's Charity, who are lords of the manor, Charles by Juliana de :Burgo in nss. the round church of Edward Brewster esq. J.P. of Maplestead Hall; and which, now the parish church of St. John the Baptist, Ker George Russell Vaizey esq. of the Vicarage, Stan· is an example <lf the pur~ Decorated style and one of sted; are the principal landowners. Tha soil is. clay the four churches in England of the class to which the and loam; subsoil, various. The chief crops are wheat, Temple church in London and those of St. Sepulchre oats. barley and turnips. The area is 1,212 acres; at Cambridge and Northampton belong; there are, how­ rateable value, £1,021; the population in 19II was 2J.f. - ever, the Tuins of a fifth in Ludlow Oastle. Shropshire: in the civil and 218 in the ecclesiastical parish. the churC'h here is specially interesting as being the By Local Government Board Order r6,612, March 25, latest and smallest of these, the diameter of the circular 1888, a detached part of Great Maplestead was trans­ part being only about 26 feet, and the whole length, fe~red to this parish. including the apsidal chancel, little more than 6o feet : the circular portion, or nave, consists of a peristyle Post Office. James Simmons, sub-postmaster. Letter!{ of eix piers, each formed by three shafts set round through Halstead, arrive at 6.45 & 11.40 a.m.; dis­ 11. triangle and supportin~ pointed arches of simple patched at 11.45 a.m. & 6.35 p.m. ; no delivery on sun~ but good design, those extending to the outside wall days. Halstead & Pebmarsh are the nearest money resting on corbels ; the windows are mostly of two order & telegraph offices, each 2! miles distant lights ; the western entrance is through an arch Public Elementary School (mixed), built in 1874, for 7r1 adorned with rows of quatrefoil and trefoil ornaments. children; average attendance, 47; Miss Elizabeth the head terminating in a finial : this church is said Ravner, mistress formerly to have bad the privilege of sanctuary and was This 'schMl is under the control of the Essex Education rebuilt in 1854. the circular west end and the semi­ (Halstead Sub-District) Committee .. circular chancel being strictly preserved ; the font is of Halstead, clerk PRIVATE :RESIDENTS. I Hart Arthur Brewster Oharles Edward J.P. Maple· Harward Mis3 CO.MJUERCIA.L. Brewster Charles Edward, farmer· 15• !rliead ihall 1 Pollitt Frederick, Westwode • Fitch Hemy A. BrazenhPad Waterman Herbert, Primrose lodge landowner .